Over the next months we will all be hearing a great deal about Renewal, 2013.

Over the past few months, a group from the Parochial Church Council have been thinking
and working towards a Renewal Mission for our Church at St. Mary and All Saints.

What is this Mission about?

Firstly it’s about Listening : listening to the congregation and to those who attend
church from time to time. What do you think about the Church here in Whalley today?
What are our strengths, what are our weaknesses? Why do we come to church? Do
we get from church what we want? Do we give of our own gifts and abilities?

In order to achieve this “listening” we will be holding a number of social/listening
evenings/afternoons at the Vicarage. These we have called, “A bit of a do”. Shortly,
regular attenders will be invited in groups to attend “a Bit of a do”.

Following this listening activity we will be able to see what people feel we need
to do to help our church progress.

It is hoped that following on from these sessions we will move towards a time of
personal spiritual renewal.

During Lent our preaching slots at both services will focus upon our personal discipleship:
what does it mean to be a Christian today? How can we utilise our time, talents
and finances more effectively in order to build the Kingdom. Then we will think
about our corporate life, our sense of being a Christian, church family.

Later in the year we will focus upon how we can serve our community; and how our
community can help us in the maintenance of our beautiful medieval building.

Underpinning all of this has to be a commitment to prayer. Renewal 2013 is about
listening to one another, but it is primarily about listening to God. Archbishop
Rowan Williams wrote at the beginning of the 2000’s “Mission is finding out what
God is doing, and joining in.”

I know that many of you worship, pray and study scripture regularly, that these things
inform who you are and how you behave. So I would like to call upon you all to reflect
on, and use the following prayer which has been written as our Renewal 2013 prayer:

Heavenly Father

Whose desire is the building of the Kingdom

We pray for your grace and blessing on

Renewal 2013.

Give us hearts and minds ready to respond to your love

So that we may serve you more fully

In our daily lives, in our families and our community

Through the power of the Holy Spirit

And in the name of Jesus our Lord.

AMEN.

With best wishes

Gill Dyer

RENEWAL 2013

In January 2013 we launched RENEWAL 2013 and during Lent members of the congregation were invited to attend the ‘Bit of a Do’ gatherings at the Vicarage. We looked at the strengths and weaknesses of our church and also asked for ideas of changes that would benefit the church. After Easter we gave everyone an audit form so that they could list the jobs and activities they are involved in and those that they would like to be involved in. We also included a pledge form and details of the different ways that people are able to contribute financially to the work of the church. These forms were returned on Pentecost Sunday – our Promises Sunday.RENEWAL 2013 will not come to an end – this is just the beginning.

OUR FUTURE

This is what we intend to do following our Promises Sunday

v Evensong or special evening service on 1st Sunday of the month for a 12 month trial. This began in August.

v A Book club started in Sept

v We aim to start a Men’s Fellowship Group ASAP

v A Ladies social group is to be set up

v The Friends of Whalley Church is in the planning

v The Children’s/Resource area is being discussed by the PCC

v Social Evenings to be held in venues other than the school

v A new Home Group is to start in October

ST MARY AND ALL SAINTS

PLEASE PRAY FOR

v A growth in faith

v An openness to new ideas

v A willingness for people to use their personal talents and time for the church and community.

v Our loyal congregation

v New ways to engage with people who come to church for weddings, baptisms and funerals.

v Opportunities to reach out to the visitors to our church.

v An increase in committed giving

v A continuation of the spirit of Renewal 2013

The following was a milestone in the life of our Church.This page has been retained on the website as a reminderof how improvement was initiated.